Arnie: They're not robots - we needed a break

The Socceroos were at breaking point after playing almost four years of continuous football when Graham Arnold took as coach over last year.

Arnold can see in the Socceroos' faces that they've exorcised one of their perennial demons ahead their World Cup qualifier against Kuwait.

Australia start their campaign for the berth in Qatar in 2022 just 500km further north at Al Kuwait Sports Club Stadium at 6:30pm on Tuesday (1:30am AEST on Wednesday).

But unlike almost every previous international campaign in recent years, the Socceroos are finally coming in fresh after most enjoyed a full summer break.

The squad was buzzing at their Dubai camp earlier this week and the itchiness to kick off hasn't abated since they arrived in Kuwait.

On Monday, groups of players were seen chucking laps of their hotel lobby in their green trackies, high-fiving team staff as they patrol.

It was infectious with even coach Arnold looking restless.

The manager puts the mood down to making sure the squad had ample time off between club seasons this year.

"I've had past experiences, many years ago, of what it takes to go a World Cup," Arnold said. "And the energy and mental fatigue side of it after a World Cup (2018), and then you throw an Asian Cup in between, and these boys hadn't had a break for four years.

"They're not robots.

"From the time I took over after a World Cup campaign where obviously they worked, they did basically another preseason as soon as they finished their seasons they were getting ready for the World Cup - you could see in their faces, they were just exhausted.

"All of them were getting injuries, small injuries and things like that. Without a type of break, giving players at least four to five weeks off to refresh their brain and body, their standards will always drop."